How Water Baths can Save You Money!

A water bath, otherwise known as a "sous-vide", is a fantastically efficient way of cooking that has been growing considerably in popularity over the last few years. It's easy to dismiss as a fad; however, the water bath has been an invaluable tool in professional kitchens for decades - and with good reason!

1. Improve the quality of cheaper meat cuts

People often tend to avoid cheaper cuts of meat because it can be hard to cook them properly. They don't lack taste but it can be hard to fry or roast them without ending up with a lump of gristle. This isn't a problem with a water bath, because of the gentle and controlled way the meat is cooked. This means that even the cheapest of cuts are slowly and softly cooked through - ultimately resulting in tenderness and flavour preservation. This means that you don't have to keep forking out for the prime cuts just to get a melt in the mouth meal for your customers.

2. Most consistent cooking results for reduced waste

There's nothing worse than preparing the ingredients for a fine meal, only to get the timings slightly wrong and end up compromising the whole dish. A few tortured mouthfuls just to show willing before throwing it in the bin and ordering a takeaway ultimately costs you a surprising amount of money in wasted ingredients. A water bath uses gentle and easily regulated cooking techniques, meaning it's basically impossible to overcook your food. A water bath will also reduce the amount of shrinkage the average cut of meat goes through during cooking.

3. Buy your cooking ingredients in bulk to save money

A water bath allows you to take advantage of the savings available bulk buying ingredients such as meat and vegetables. You can, for example, cook them all in the water bath in one sitting, then flash cool them in an ice bowl, before wrapping them up and refrigerating or freezing them. This will lock in all the flavour and goodness until you're ready to use them. Being in the freezer means they'll keep for a long time, so you'll actually use all of the produce that you paid for. A water bath can also reheat and defrost more effectively than a microwave.

4. Save money on your utility bills by using less energy

Another way that water baths make great sense for saving money is because they're very energy efficient as a method of cooking. The way they work means the water is heated up, then minimal energy is necessary to actually keep that hot water circulating. That means they use less energy during standard cooking, and even during extended cooking sessions where you might be preparing things in bulk. A water bath is an intelligent use of energy to maximise the results by using only a little - these savings only grow larger the more meals you cook in one sitting.

5. Improve overall consistency of cooking quality and flavour

A water bath is a reliable way of cooking all manner of ingredients to perfection. Whether it's meat, fish, or vegetables it can be difficult to correctly time their cooking when you're doing it over a fierce flame or in a roasting hot oven. In the space of a few seconds, a prime cut can be ruined. This isn't the case with a water bath, because it's a much gentler way of cooking - this gives chefs a larger margin for error. There's a much larger window in which the ingredients are perfectly cooked, meaning that overall quality and consistency improves.

Make an investment today that will last long into the future

You might think a water bath will be something you won't use too often - but you'd be wrong! Many chefs find that once they get used to cooking with a water bath, nothing else provides the same consistent results for such minimal effort. It couldn't be easier to get perfect tasting meals every time you cook. With your reputation on the line with every plate you send to a customer, the peace of mind that comes from consistent quality is invaluable.

It's essential to invest in a quality piece of equipment, however, if you're going to get the best results. Buy right and you'll have a way of cooking healthy, affordable, delicious food for a fraction of what other cooking methods would cost.

Here at Cooks Mill, we have an exciting range of unique food service products plus exciting accessories that will make you stand out from the crowd. To learn more then simply visit our website today to shop online or visit our Manchester store. Delivery is free on orders over £50 ex vat with thousands of items available for next day delivery when you shop online.